The invention relates to a mesh jewel and a method for manufacturing thereof.
For producing jewels, high purity precious metals, for example platinum, gold or silver are generally used. High purity precious metals have a very high specific weight and they are very expensive, consequently large size jewels made of these metals are relatively heavy and expensive. Heavy jewels cause discomfort to people wearing them, and the high price does not allow a broader distribution of these jewels. In addition, it is a known fact that relatively thick pure precious metal pieces are difficult to machine, i.e. that they are difficult to cut, bend and draw.
A known solution for eliminating these problems in the jewel industry is the producing of so called mesh jewels, which comprise a mesh made of precious metal wire, arranged in a plane or along a three dimensional surface. This mesh enables the manufacturing of large size, attractive and yet low weight and not too expensive jewels.
A mesh jewel and a method for its manufacturing are described for example in EP 0 495 100 A1. This known mesh jewel comprises a precious metal mesh arranged in a plane and fitted in a precious metal setting. The precious metal mesh is produced by laying at random a large number of metal wires bent in different shapes, followed by pressing, and then the metal wires are fixed to each other at the nodes. This fixing can be for example a diffusion joint assisted by heat treatment. Next, the mesh is subjected to cold working, polishing and then it is placed into the setting. This known method is primarily suitable for producing meshes arranged in a plane, and the mesh may not have a complicated three dimensional shape. In the case of a larger surface mesh, another problem arises, namely that the mesh will not be sufficiently rigid and in the course of use the mesh jewel is subjected to a permanent deformation. Furthermore, this known method does not enable the fitting of decorative elements along the surface of the mesh.
Another solution known to the jewel industry is whenxe2x80x94by the manual arrangement of the precious metal wirexe2x80x94a three dimensional mesh surface is formed, and the wire nodes are soldered or welded one by one. This solution, however, does not allow the accomplishing of sufficient rigidity in the case of larger size jewels, and it is very difficult to fit decorative elements along the three dimensional surface.
A further mesh jewel and a method for its manufacture are described in DE 29 19 912 A. This mesh jewel comprises node elements at crossings of the metal wire sections forming the mesh. The node elements are formed as balls having two through bores arranged in crosswise direction to each other through which the wire sections are inserted. These node elements are, however, difficult and costly to manufacture, and do not allow the crossing of more than two wire sections at a node. Furthermore, there is no teaching in DE 29 19 912 A about fixing these node elements in space. Therefore, this known mesh jewel can not be manufactured with a dense mesh and with a sufficient rigidity.
It is an object of the invention to provide a mesh jewel whichxe2x80x94with a relatively low weightxe2x80x94has sufficient rigidity even in the case of larger dimensions to prevent permanent deformation even during prolonged use, and which enables the fitting of decorative elements along the mesh of the mesh jewel. It is another object of the invention to provide a simple and cost-efficient method for manufacturing the mesh jewel.
According to a first aspect, the invention is a mesh jewel comprising a mesh formed by at least one metallic wire section arranged along a mesh surface, wherein the mesh comprises nodes located at adjoining wire section parts of said at least one wire section, and wherein at least some of the nodes are formed with a node element fixing the adjoining wire section parts together. According to the invention, the mesh jewel has node elements comprising a pin arranged in cross direction to the mesh surface, wherein the wire section parts adjoining the pin are tangential to or bent on the pin, and wherein ends of the pin are closed by retaining means so as to prevent displacement of the adjoining wire section parts in an axial direction of the pin, said retaining means comprising a retaining element arranged at an end of the pin.
The inventive mesh with the node elements results in a higher rigidity mesh jewel, which enables the manufacturing of larger and thus more decorative jewels with a low total weight. In addition, the higher rigidity further reduces the risk of permanent deformation when the jewel is in use. Furthermore, the node elementsxe2x80x94by themselves or with decorative elements fixed to themxe2x80x94are suitable for creating a more attractive jewel.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the retaining element can be formed for example as a flange, a ball having a bore, a setting holding a gem, or a soldered, welded, bonded or adhesive closing. The retaining elements can be fitted onto the end of the pin and fixed to the pin by soldering or welding, but they can be is formed integrally with the pin as well.
The mesh can be made more rigid, if the wire section parts adjoining the pins of the node elements are fixed to the node elements by soldering or welding. The at least one wire section is tangential to or bent on the pins of the node elements, and passes by the pins at least twice from different directions.
The mesh surface can be planar, a three-dimensional curved surface or a three-dimensional surface defined by planes.
In another preferred embodiment, the mesh jewel comprises a latticework formed along the mesh surface, wherein the at least one wire section is arranged along a surface of the latticework and is attached to node elements fixed to lattice knots of the latticework. In this embodiment the latticework ensures the spatial fixing of the node elements. The fixing of the node elements is very important because in this way the wire section can be tightened on the pins of the node elements, thereby providing a more rigid structure. In this way, the latticework according to the invention allows the producing of a more rigid mesh jewel, which is larger and thus more decorative, with a low total weight. The higher rigidity also reduces the risk of the jewel suffering a permanent deformation while being worn.
In a further preferred embodiment the mesh jewel comprises a rigid jewel body to which the mesh is attached by means of through holes or fixing node elements secured to the jewel body. In this case the node elements can be fixed to the jewel body by means of distance rods, thereby resulting in a more rigid jewel.
Parts of or the entire mesh jewel can be preferably formed integrally by casting. The material of the inventive mesh jewel can be platinum, gold, silver, titanium and/or stainless steel.
According to a second aspect, the invention is a method for manufacturing a mesh jewel, comprising the steps of forming a mesh with at least one metallic wire section by arranging it along a mesh surface, wherein the mesh comprises nodes at adjoining wire section parts of said at least one wire section, and wherein at least some of the nodes are formed with a node element fixing the adjoining wire section parts together, characterised by arranging pins in cross direction to the mesh surface, and arranging said at least one wire section so as to pass tangentially to or bent on the pins and attaching ends of said at least one wire section to the mesh jewel, wherein ends of the pins are closed by retaining means so as to prevent displacement of adjoining wire section parts in an axial direction of the pin, said retaining means comprising retaining elements arranged at the ends of the pins.
By means of the method according to the invention, a mesh jewel with a higher rigidity can be manufactured simply and with a relatively low cost. The inventive method enables simple fitting of decorative elements along the surface of the mesh.
For forming the mesh, preferably a shaping piece having a surface corresponding to the mesh surface can be used. The shaping piece can be placed onto a rigid jewel body, and the at least one wire section can be arranged fixedly attached to the jewel body. The shaping piece is preferably made of a material completely removable by heat treating or by applying a solvent.
By means of the shaping piece, on the one hand the wire section can be guided in a way that it is adjusted to the surface of the shaping piece, and on the other the node elements are thereby spatially fixed. Fixing the node elements is very important because in this way the wire section can be tightened on the pins of the node elements, thereby ensuring a more rigid structure.